Old World Dark Bread Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve coffee in 1/4 cup warm water. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine remaining 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water and molasses. Sprinkle yeast over top, stir, and let stand 5 minutes.
• Add honey, flours, cocoa, and salt to yeast mixture. Attach bowl to stand mixer fitted the dough-hook attachment and beat on low speed 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-low and beat until dough is smooth and slightly tacky, about 3 minutes (or knead by hand 15 to 20 minutes).
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; knead by hand, turning dough over, 4 to 5 times before shaping into a ball. Transfer dough, smooth-side up, to a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Set one half aside, loosely covered with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Shape remaining half into a 9-inch rectangle, with a short side parallel to work surface. Fold top third of dough towards center, then fold bottom third of dough on top, pressing gently to seal. Turn dough 90 degrees and repeat folding process, pinching seam and sides closed. Place seam-side down and roll dough back and forth with palms of hands to form a loaf about 12 inches long with tapered ends. Repeat shaping process with remaining half of dough. Sprinkle a clean cotton cloth with cornmeal and place loaves on top, spacing about 6 inches apart. Loosely cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees, with a pizza stone on rack in lower third and a skillet or baking pan on lowest rack, 30 minutes. Transfer loaves to a pizza peel or unrimmed baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Brush tops with egg white. Using a lame (baker?s blade), razor blade, or serrated knife, make four diagonal cuts, 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, across each loaf. Slide loaves from peel onto stone. If not using a stone, slide loaves onto a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Quickly pour boiling water into preheated skillet to create steam. Bake until loaves are dark brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on bottoms, about 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer loaves to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the all-purpose flour, the mashed potatoes (dry), brown sugar, salt, 3/4 teaspoon caraway seed and the yeast. In 1-quart saucepan, heat buttermilk, water and oil over medium heat, stirring frequently, until very warm (120°F to 130°F); stir into potato mixture until blended. Stir in rye flour and enough remaining all-purpose flour to make dough easy to handle.
• Place dough on lightly floured surface; gently roll in flour to coat. Knead about 8 minutes or until smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening or cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover; let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size. (If using fast-acting yeast, do not let rise 1 hour; cover and let rest on floured surface 10 minutes.)
• Grease large cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray; sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll dough into rope, about 3 inches thick and 25 inches long. Curl dough into coil shape; tuck ends under. Place on cookie sheet. Cover; let rise in warm place 30 to 45 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Brush water over dough; sprinkle with cornmeal and additional caraway seed. Bake 23 to 28 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool.

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, salt, cocoa, yeast, and caraway seed.
• Heat and stir molasses, butter, sugar, 2 cups water and 2 Tablespoons oil until warm (about 110°-115°F).
• Add to dry mixture.
• Beat at low speed on electric mixer 1/2 minutes, scraping bowl.
• Beat 3 minutes at high speed.
• Then by hand, stir in enough rye flour to make a soft dough.
• Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead till smooth (about 5 minutes).
• **Cover, and let rest 20 minutes.
• Punch down dough.
• Divide in half.
• Shape into 2 round or oval loaves on greased baking sheets.
• Brush with small amount of cooking oil.
• Slash tops with knife.
• Cover; let rise until double (45-60 minutes).
• Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
• Remove from baking sheets, place on racks to cool.
• **Note:If using this recipe to make a light/dark"marbled" rye loaf, knead both the light and dark doughs separately for about 3 minutes or so, then combine the light and dark doughs and knead them together for another minute or so (to produce the marbled effect).
• Proceed with the recipe as stated.

Steps:

• 1. In a large mixing bowl, add sugar, yeast, and warm water. Let proof for about 10-15 minutes. (Proofing is allowing the yeast to activate, you will see small bubbles come to surface of water, therefore letting you know your yeast is good & activated)
• 2. In separate bowl, add 4 cups of flour and salt, blend well & then add to water and mix with a dough hook. Beat at low speed for about 3-4 minutes, make sure to scrape the sides and mix into dough. Cover bowl with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
• 3. Gradually add in the remaining 3 cups of flour to make a stiff dough. You will have to knead by hand. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Kneading will take about 15 minutes, give or take a few. Shape dough into a ball and place into a lightly greased bowl, turning dough to coat complete surface of dough. Cover with a towel and place in a warm, draft-free space to allow dough to rise until doubled in size. Approximately an hour. TIP: I PLACE MY DOUGH IN THE OVEN ON TOP RACK. IN A LARGE SHALLOW PAN, IE:CAKE PAN, FILL WITH BOILING WATER AND PLACE ON BOTTOM RACK. CLOSE OVEN AND ALLOW DOUGH TO RISE. DO NOT TURN OVEN ON!
• 4. When dough has doubled in size, turn out on lightly floured surface and punch down, divide dough into two , and form into 2 balls, place back into greased bowl and cover and allow to rise for 15 minutes, doubled in size again.
• 5. Once doubled, punch down and form into 2 oblong balls. Grease 2 heavy baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place dough on baking sheets. Preheat oven to. 375 degrees F NOTE: I MADE 3 SMALLER LOAVES FOR THE PURPOSE OF USING THIS BREAD IN ANOTHER RECIPE. WHICH YOU CAN TOTALLY DO IF YOU'D LIKE! JUST ALTER BAKE TIME BY APPROXIMATELY 5-8 MINUTES.
• 6. Whisk together egg white and tablespoon of water. Make diaginal cuts into dough about every 2 inches, 1/4 inch deep. Brush dough with eggwash over top and sides. Again, cover and allow to rise in a warm draft-free space until dough doubles in size. Approximately 30 minutes.
• 7. When ready to bake, remove cover from dough. Place a large shallow pan filled with boiling water in bottom rack of oven. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes. Midway between baking, brush eggwash on top and sides of dough again. This helps give you that nice crispy crust with the soft center. Bread is done when you tap on crust and it has a hollow sound, and crust is golden brown. Allow to cool on cooling rack! But first you must test it by slicing a nice warm piece of bread and topping with fresh butter. Eat, if you die of delight, it's safe to share with family & friends! :)